keyboard

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

keyboard
    n 1: device consisting of a set of keys on a piano or organ or
         typewriter or typesetting machine or computer or the like
    2: holder consisting of an arrangement of hooks on which keys or
       locks can be hung

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Keyboard \Key"board`\, n.
   The whole arrangement, or one range, of the keys[3] of an
   organ, piano, typewriter, etc.; that part of a device
   containing the keys[3] used to operate it.
   [1913 Webster]

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

keyboard

   <hardware> A {hardware} device consisting of a number of
   mechanical buttons (keys) which the user presses to input
   characters to a computer.

   Keyboards were originally part of {terminals} which were
   separate {peripheral} devices that performed both input and
   output and communicated with the computer via a {serial line}.
   Today a keyboard is more likely to be connected more directly
   to the processor, allowing the processor to scan it and detect
   which key or keys are currently pressed.  Pressing a key sends
   a low-level {key code} to the keyboard input driver routine
   which translates this to one or more {characters} or special
   actions.

   Keyboards vary in the keys they have, most have keys to
   generate the {ASCII} {character set} as well as various
   {function keys} and special purpose keys, e.g. reset or volume
   control.

   (2003-07-04)

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

21 Moby Thesaurus words for "keyboard":
      autotype, choir, claviature, console, echo, eighty-eight,
      electrotype, fingerboard, great, ivories, keys, linotype, manual,
      monotype, organ manual, palaeotype, pedals, piano keys, solo,
      stereotype, swell